Horses are the latest victims of a development boom in Kensington, Brooklyn.
Construction of a nine-story luxury apartment building next door to the Prospect Park Stable is stressing out its 11 horses, according to owner John Quadrozzi Jr., 63.
“Any type of noise or banging up there causes problems for us,” Quadrozzi said, pointing at the ceiling. “It causes distress for the horses, could cause them to react, throw their rider. We don't know the workers are up there. So we continue operations and boom, something happens.”
He said noise has gotten so bad that the stable has stopped allowing riders to use the indoor ring closest to the construction site.
The clash between the stable and the developer of the building at 57 Caton Pl. is an equestrian example of a perennial New York City conflict.
In 2024, the rental vacancy rate in the city dropped to 1.4%, the lowest it’s been since 1968. In addition to the 131-unit building being built next door to the stables, a large 375-unit luxury building has also opened on the same block.
But more housing means less room for horses.
“Seeing this whole neighborhood change has been sad. I’ve always known this place as being horse-friendly, and now it seems like it's turning to the opposite, especially since they’re right at our back door. There used to be stables all up and down the block here, so this was a very horse-positive environment,” said Xiana Quadrozzi, 26, John’s daughter and the day-to-day manager of the stables.
Urban horses are used to the noise of city life, John said, but construction can cause alarm.
“Any sudden noises, anything unusual like banging on the roof, they’ll freak out,” he said.
Percy Moran, 15, said he got thrown from a horse due to the ruckus.
“Some sort of construction noise happened and the horse leapt through the air,” said Moran. “I can generally handle it, but it’s also scary to know that it might be a kid on a different horse who could get hurt if something like that happens. I’m always glad that it’s me and not someone else.”
Xiana said one pony, Cannoli, gets especially stressed.
Stable staff said Cannoli the horse has become anxious due to the construction noise.
“He’s like our security guard — we always know when someone’s on the roof because he starts spinning around,” she said. “ He’ll work himself up into a sweat, so we’ll have to take him outside, calm him down away from the kids, hose him down and make sure he’s okay.”
Construction on the neighboring building has lasted six years, according to John Quadrozzi. He pointed to skylights, he said were broken due to work on the neighboring property. He complained that workers drop tools and other materials on the stable’s roof.
“It’s definitely frustrating for me,” said Xiana. “It’s frustrating for the staff, for the horses of course, for the customers.”
The development is the latest sign of the big changes to that corner of Kensington, which not that long ago had a uniquely equestrian flavor.
Nicholas Bedell recalled that “the central activity of this area was the horses” when he moved into a home across the street from the stables 23 years ago.
“There was a regular hoof beat along the street,” he said. At the beginning of the 20th century, hundreds of horses were stabled in the area. Only the Prospect Park Stable — which used to be known as Kensington Stables — remains.
Stable owner John Quadrozzi gives a horse, Tonka, a scratch.
Bedell noted the “goliath” apartment buildings springing up in the area.
“Kensington has been discovered,” he said.
John Quadrozzi, who ran a concrete empire and recently grabbed headlines for his failed bid to tow a historic ocean liner to the Brooklyn waterfront, said his plans to open a cafe and make other upgrades to the stable have been put on hold due to the construction.
He’s filed three lawsuits over the development. Only one lawsuit brought by Quadrozzi against the developer is ongoing.
Abraham Leifer, the building’s developer, downplayed the dispute with Quadrozzi, telling Gothamist, “there’s no more conflict.”
Leifer said construction should be done by September.
